Hegel is aware that art serve such as instructing, edifying, provoking, adorning

But his main focus is on defining the most essential role of art. He asserts that this will allow the freedom of spirit to express itself intuitively and sensually. Therefore, the purpose of art is not to be "realistic" or to replicate or reflect the circumstances of ordinary life, but rather to illustrate what divine and human freedom looks like. Hegel refers to this sensual representation of spiritual freedom as the "Ideal," or real beauty. Individual objects in space and time belong to the sensual realm.

Hegel would have only been familiar with ancient Greek sculpture through Roman reproductions or plaster casts, yet it exhibits what he refers to as "absolute" or "pure" beauty. However, it does not exhaust the concept of beauty because it does not provide us with beauty in its most developed and concrete form. This may be seen in ancient Greek play, particularly tragedy, when free individuals take action that sparks conflict and ultimately results in resolution. Greek sculptures of the gods are exquisite because they completely capture their physical freedom in form, without any signs of physical reliance or infirmity.